Spoon



April 9, 1929.

J. TUNICK 1,708,456

SPOON Filed Aug. 16, 1928 11v VENTQR. Jacob 7a/7/oe AT RNEYS.

Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

untrue srares JACOB TUNICK, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SPOON.

Application filed August 16, 1928. Serial No. 299,948.

This invention is a spoon so constructed that it is adapted to serve as a container in which substances may be vended in sealed condition and which spoon is capable of being unseal d by the ultimate purchaser who is thereupon adapted to employ the spoon in the usual manner.

The invention is susceptible of employment in the arts generally, but is particularly in tended to be used by druggists in dispensing medical powders. Under the present practice of dispensing medical powders a pre determined quantity of the powder is measured with the ingredients mixed therein in proper proportions and the whole quantity is then subdivided into a number of smaller quantities which are individually packaged in small sections of paper. These papers are individually folded by the druggist about the subdivided portions of the powder and are, after folding, packed in boxes of a dozen or more powders as the physician may prescribe, This well known practice of packaging powders is a slow and tiresome method of dispensing such substances, and the primary object of the present invention is, 'heretore, to provide a simple and eiticient construction for packaging powders in a more economical and expeditious manor.

In its preferred practical embodiment, the invention is in the form of a spoon which, in practice, may conveniently be in the form or" a cardboard or papier-mach stamping or may be formed in molds or in any other way desired. The bowl of the spoon constitutes the container in which the powder or other substance is adapted. to be received. The free edge of the bowl is shaped to provide a stepped seat while the handle of the spoon is provided at its tree end with a disk shaped to cooperate with this stepped seat, and preterably slightly offset with the remainder of the handle so that it the handle is folded at a pointmidway of its ends, the disk may be moved into cooperative relation with the seat and snapped in place so as to cover the open side of the bowl. and form a manually removable closure there'tor. The natural resiliency of the material from which the spoon is formed will normally hold the disk in sealing position, so that itcannot inadvertently become displaced.

With an arrangement of this character, it will be apparent that it is only necessary to deposit the powder or other substance in the bowl then bend thehandle of the spoon so as to introduce the disk into cooperative relation with the seat whereupon the packing of the substance is completed. The time corisuming methods heretofore employcd'in the packaging of powders are thus entirely obviated bythis invention which may be manui'actured at such nominal cost as LO render packaging of powders more economical with the present invention than under prior practice.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing shows one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, andnot as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a spoon embodying the present invention with the parts in unfolded condition.

Figure 2 is a section perspective on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section through the spoon with the handle folded to eliect sealing of the contents of the bowl.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bowl of the spoon, and 2 the handle thereof. Both the bowl and handle may be of any appropriate shape or contour, but, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown the bowl as substantially semispherical. The bowl provided at its open free edge with. a stepped seat 3, so that the margin of the bowl is in the form of an upstanding flange i. The handle 2 is provided at its free end with a disk 5, which may be cupped if desired but is shown as flat. This disk is slightly ofi'set where it joins the handle as shown at 6 so that when the handle is bent midway of its length as indicated at 7, the disk ca... be snapped into cooperative relation with the seat 3, the flange i and disk 5 having sufficient inherent resiliency to retain the disk in position against inadvertent displacement V as indicated in Figure 3.

In order to rend-er the handle more rigid, it may be longitudinally corrugated as shown at- 8, so that when the parts are folded, they will appear as shown in the last mentioned figure.

The packaging of powder or other substances in the bowl of the spoon while employing the extension of the handle to serve as a sealing closure therefor is highly efficient for its intended purposes and may be accomplished with ease and expedition. When it is desired to unseal the bowl this may be readily accomplished by flexing the handle, say, for example, in the directionin dicated by the arrow'9 in Fig. 3. The forcing of the handle in this direction, while the I bowl of the spoon is held stationary will cause the, disk 5 to be snapped out of its seat and the handle may thereupon be straightened out into the condition shown in Fig. 2 to permit the spoon to be used in the usual manner. That is to say, the'contents ot'the spoon may be taken directly into the mouth or such contents may be d'esposited ina tumbler of water and stirred by the spoon. The spoon of this invention may be constructed from any suitable material, but stifi pap-er, cardboard or )anier-niach have been tound eiT 'oient and economical.

:VVhil'e' I have described the invention as particularly adapted by use by druggists I do not limit its use for this specific purpose as it may be used in other field's without departing from the invention, the .scope of which is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended'claims. 7

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to seizure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spoon, the bowl of which is provided at its open side with 'a marginal recessed seat and the handle of which spoon is provided at its free end with a closureof a size and shape to cooperate with said seatwhe'reby the handle of the spoon may be bent midway of its length to permit cooperation between the closure and the seat for the purpose of sealing the confines or" the bowl.

2. A spoon, the bowl of which is provided at its open side withan interior seat and the handle of the spoon having an extension at its free end of a size and shape to cooperate with said seat and form a closure for the bowl ofth'espoon whereby the handle may be bent intermediate its ends to bring the enlarged extension of the handle into cooperative relation with the seat to seal confines of the 3. A spoon, the bowl of which is provided at its open side with a marginal recessed seat and the handle of which spoon is provided its freeend with a closure of 'asize and shape to cooperate .with said seat whereby the hen dle of the spoon may be bent midway of its length to permit cooperation between the closure and the seat for the purpose of brought into engagement'with the seat of the bowl to form asealed closure within the bowl of the spoon.

In testimony whereofIhave signed the foregoing specification. V

r JACOB TUNICK. 

